Pencil sharpener



April 15, 1941. R w p05 2,238,340

PENCIL SHARPENER Filed July 8, 1940 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE 2,238,340 PENCIL SHARPENER Ralph w. Poe, Canton, n1. Application July 8, 1940, Serial No." 344,341 3 Claims. c1. 120-89) provide a carrier for an abrasive or base and which is refor substitube given a so called chisel pointas are sometimes desired or required by engineers and draftsmen.

My invention may be best understood from the drawing herewith presented, forming part hereof, wherein:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate in perspective three separate forms of the sharpener according to my invention;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of a wiper-member shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of parts shown in Figure 3 produced on a larger scale;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the form of device shown in Figure 1, wherein a carrier for an abrasive is shown more clearly;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional elevation of a carrier for an abrasive illustrating the method of creating a flattened or chisel-like point on the lead of a pencil, and

Figure 6 shows in perspective a pencil whose point is flattened according to trated in Figure 5. V

In Figure 1 a support or base I of wood, plastic material, or the like, is shown provided with a slot or channel 2 extending lengthwise thereof in its top surface which slot, in this instance, extends toward the base at right angles to the plane of the lat er, whereas in Figure 2 the support or base indicated by 2 may be made of sheet metal, or other stiff material, in the form of an A, for example, as best shown in Figure 4 wherein it is noted that the edges of the material, approach each other at the top, lying in spaced relation and terminating, in this particular instance, in down-turned parallel flanges l creating a slot l corresponding to the slot or channel 2 of Figure 1 referred to.

The base may preferably be provided on its under surface with a rubber or other non-skid material (not shown) so that said base W111 retain the method illusa fixed po'sitionin use on a desk when pointinga pencil.

Either form serves to receive into its slot a carrier consisting in the present case of a metal strip bent upon itself longitudinally as at 3 creatingrsubstantially parallel spaced portions 4 lying in close relation, and which at the upper extremities are outwardly flared in opposite directions at 5, then being recurved toward each other at 6. As best shown in Figure 4 a pair-of strips of paper or cloth -1 are enclosed between the portions 4, their upper edges'following the outward curve of the bends at 5 while their margins may be clamped within the recurved parts 6 mentioned. When so constructed the carrier is a part separate from-the base I or I and may be inserted into or removed at will from the slot of either.

However, it is to be'understood that, if prac- -ticable, the carrier might itself be coated with an abrasive before being bent into the form shown. Or, again the recurved parts 6 might, perhaps, lie in open form so that the abrasionstrips could be slipped endwise into the positions shown, although the described clamping of the edges of the strip is preferred as providing a unitary structure so far as the carrier is concerned. Said carrier, as shown, snugly fits with the slot 2 or I of Figures 1 and 3 respectively, being there retained by friction. Again, the base or support of either of the forms may be made longer than the carrier thereby providing for the addition in the named slots 2, I of a wiper member shown in Figure 3 wherein a member l4 of sheet metal, for example, grips a strip of wool or cotton l5, part of the member engaging also in the slot of the extended base, said strip answering as a wiper over which to drag a pencillead being sharpened.

Figures 3 and 3 illustrate a slightly different form of device for pocket use.

A strip'of metal is rolled to form a tube [6, the resultant longitudinal edge being provided with opposed recurved parts I! similar to the parts 6 of the earlier figures, these gripping edges of a strip .l8 provided with an abrasive. If desired a cylindrical member [8 may be inserted into the device so assembled to act as a spreader for the strip.

In any one of the forms of device herein shown the parallel abrasive surfaces lie in quite close relation providing a space slightly less in meas urement than the diameter of the pencil-lead or so that the lead cannot drop into such space,

that is to say, in the sharpening act, see-Figure 2, the pencil-lead will lie astride the space between the abrasive surfaces. In order to provide the desired sharp point the pencil in practice is inclined at an angle of say 30 to the plane of the sharpener. Now, upon rotating the pencil between the fingers and thumb the lead is worn away and in its rotation the point, since engaging both surfaces, is reduced to its desired sharp point.

On the other hand when a chisel form, or flat form, of the lead is required, as in Figure 6,.as sometimes desired by draftsmen and engineers for ruling purposes, for example, the separation space is such that by grasping the pencil firmly and drawing the lead back and forth at said space it is gradually worked down between the two opposed surfaces giving the said chisel, or flat form as in Figure 5. And these manipulations bring about the same result in any of 'the forms herein illustrated.

After extended use, especially in the forms of Figures 1, 2, 3 when the abrasive is ineffective to best perform the work required of it, the carrier 3, 4, 5 may be readily replaced by another.

I claim:

1. In a pencil sharpener, a support provided with a relatively long and narrow channel in a surface thereof, a carrier consisting of a long and narrow strip of material folded lengthwise providing two substantially parallel portions adapted to enter said channel,-the same being held in the latter and forming an inner channel, the said portions outward from said channel be ing divergent forming a V, the longitudinal edges of the portions being recurved and extended toward each other and overhanging the surface of the'said divergent portions, an abrasive carrying element overlying each of the carrier portions forming the V and extending into the said inner recurved toward each other; the recurved parts lying in spaced relation to the portions from which they extend, and a long and narrow strip I of material carrying an abrasive folded lengthchannel, the outer longitudinal edge of said abrasive carrying element each engaging beneath a wise and lying at its fold within the space be- 1 tween the said spaced portions of the carrier and having the abrasive upon its exposed surfaces, the edges of the strip being seated in the space created within the named recurved parts.

3. In a pencil sharpener, a support provided with a relatively long and narrow channel in a surface thereof, a carrier consisting of a narrow strip of material folded along substantially a middle line thereof providing opposed spaced substantially parallel portions adapted to seat in the said channel and portions diverging to form a V, the outer edges thereof being recurved toward each other and each lying in spaced rela tion to an adjacent surface of said carrier, and a strip of abrasive carrying material folded and lying at its fold within the space between the parallel portions, the surfaces of the material carrying the abrasive being spaced apart within the said space and facing each other, the longitudinal edges of the material engaging beneath the said recurved parts of the carrier.

RALPH w. POE. I 

